This present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for cutting webs, and, more particularly, to methods for cutting a laminated web structure and, most particularly, laminated or multilayered imaging elements that include at least one upper or protective layer, an image-forming layer, and an imaging support.
Laminated webs are utilized widely for various applications. In imaging applications, for example, a protective layer is often used over the image-forming layer to protect it from being harmed by contact friction with apparatus parts and between the front and back surfaces of the element. It may also be used to control moisture, curl, stiffness, and other physical properties.
The laminated web and laminated imaging element are typically formed in long, wide sheets and then spooled into large rolls. These large wide rolls must then be converted into predetermined smaller sizes by slitting, chopping, and/or perforating the large wide rolls. It is important that the various conversion operations, also referred to as cutting processes, be performed without damaging the web. It is also important that the conversion be performed without creating substantial amounts of dust or hair-like debris that might lead to undesirable contamination of imaging surfaces for imaging applications.
The generation of this hair-like debris is generally attributed to an adverse combination of stiffness and toughness of the various layers of the laminated web. A poor combination of stiffness and toughness properties of various layers results in uncontrolled crack propagation during cutting and the subsequent formation of hair-like debris. For example, there is a problem with the element described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,866,282 in that the cutting of this imaging element results in the creation of substantial amounts of hair-like debris which are highly undesirable. The poor cutting performance may be traced at least in part to the material selection and ordering in the laminate, resulting in an adverse combination of stiffness and toughness of the various layers of the imaging element and uncontrolled crack propagation during cutting.
The process of cutting sheet materials is similar to driving a crack through a material using a wedge. Accordingly, fracture mechanics theory (xe2x80x9cFracture Mechanics, Fundamentals and Applicationsxe2x80x9d, T. L. Anderson, 1991) may be used to guide the selection of layer materials that produce the desired cutting performance. Fundamentally, cutting processes are fracture processes. One needs to initiate and propagate a crack through the thickness of the substrate. A clean cut usually requires good control over crack initiation and propagation throughout the cutting process.
Many methods and apparatus for cutting laminated imaging elements are known in the art. These prior art cutting methods and apparatus include cutting wheels, ultrasonic cutters, scissor type cutters and guillotine knives. FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view illustrating the cutting edge portions of typical, opposing prior art cutters including an upper knife 10 and a lower knife 12 for cutting and slitting an imaging element 14. The first and second cutters are separated by a clearance 15. Imaging element 14 typically includes a support web 16 with an imaging layer or multilayer composite layer 26 coated thereon. It is common for the lower knife 12 to have a square edge or low rake angle 22 and low relief angle 20, and the upper knife 10 to be ground at some rake angle 18. The upper knife 10 may also have a low relief angle 24. The upper knife 10 generally has been applied to the upper or photosensitive side of the imaging element 14 during slitting with the lower knife 12 in contact with the opposite side thereof. However, in some instances, the reverse has been practiced. Typically, the upper knife blade previously used has had a low rake angle, 10-15 degrees, ground on the edge. The low rake angle was used because it was an improvement over a square edge with no rake, and a mid range angle, such as 30 to 45 degrees. More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,922xe2x80x94Camp, et al. discloses a high rake knife for slitting photographic papers.
A significant disadvantage in these prior art methods was the inability to cut the web without cutting or damaging one or more of the weaker layers and interfaces. Another major disadvantage was the inherent difficulty experienced when trying to control the material fall-off, which produces dust from the cut process. Therefore, there is a continuing problem with dirt and debris generated during cutting that will contaminate images during development. This is especially true for laminated imaging elements that have thick, tough polymer protective layers, and the image-forming layer is very stress sensitive.
It has been a technical challenge to cut laminated imaging elements without damaging the finished edges and generating debris. This problem is more significant nowadays since tough polymer layers are often used as protective layers for a laminated imaging element. The addition of this tough layer may change the cutting characteristics of the imaging element. Therefore, when using the existing method and tool in the art, the cutting operation causes significant defect and debris that is not acceptable.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved method for cutting laminated webs such as imaging/photographic elements.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for cutting laminated webs, especially laminated imaging elements, that generates less cutting defects during the cutting process.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for cutting laminated webs, such as imaging/photographic elements, which reduces damage to the interface between layers or laminates.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for cutting laminated webs, such as imaging/photographic elements, that reduces the amount of dust and debris produced by the cutting operation.
Briefly stated, the foregoing and numerous other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon a reading of the detailed description, claims and drawings set forth herein. These features, objects and advantages are accomplished by providing a method for cutting a laminated web, comprising the steps of engaging a first side of the laminated web with a crack initiator having a high rake angle, the crack initiator extending from a first cutter base having a low rake angle, the laminated web including at least a support web and an upper layer that may, at least for imaging elements, be considered a protective layer, the upper layer being thinner than the support web, the upper layer being located at the first side of the laminated web structure; simultaneously engaging a second side of the laminated web with a second cutter; generating a first crack in the first side of the laminated web with the crack initiator completely through the upper layer; engaging the web with the cutter base of the first cutter and further propagating the first crack using the cutter base while disengaging the crack initiator of the first cutter. With the crack initiator disengaged, the method may include the step of propagating the crack through to the second side of the laminated web. Alternatively, the method may include the step of generating a second crack in the second side of the web with the second cutter and propagating the first cut to intersect with the second crack.
The laminated web may further include one or more intermediate layers. When the laminated web is an imaging element, the intermediate layer would be an imaging/photographic layer or composite layer such as, for example, a silver halide layer.
As described above, the first or upper side of the laminated web is the side with the protective layer. The protective layer is thinner than the support web. In the case of the laminated imaging/photographic element, the protective layer is located over the intermediate layer, which is the image-forming layer or composite.
To prevent delamination at the interface of the laminate, it is desirable to reduce the stress at this interface. Therefore, by letting the thinner protective layer face the crack initiator, the crack initiator drives the crack past this interfacial region much faster than prior art cutting methods. The crack initiator confines the high stress concentration near the tip of the crack initiator without spreading the stress over to this stress-sensitive region, particularly the interface between layers. Furthermore, the crack passes through the interface at a much lower level of knife force since the knife force increases monotonically during cutting until the last stage of the cutting process. Once the crack has passed this stress-sensitive region, the low rake cutter base can come into more intimate contact with the laminated web being cut to take over the load previously carried by the crack initiator. From this point on, the crack propagation would be driven by the low rake cutter base and the crack initiator tip would gradually disengage from the laminated web. Since the crack initiator has minimal contact with the laminated web, the wear rate at the tip of the cutter is reduced, resulting in a longer tool life. Thus, with the combination of the high rake cutter tip and low rake cutter base, long tool life and high cut quality are achieved.
The term xe2x80x9claminated webxe2x80x9d as used herein is intended to refer to and include webs that contain more than one layer of materials bonded together through chemical, thermal, mechanical, or other method. Specifically, a xe2x80x9claminated webxe2x80x9d includes laminates that are obtained by running two or more individual layers of materials through a laminator that applies heat and pressure to bond the layers into one sheet material. To obtain good adhesion between the layers, adhesive materials are often applied between them. A laminated imaging element is a laminated web that contains at least one imaging-forming layer. xe2x80x9cLaminated websxe2x80x9d also include support webs having other layers coated and/or laminated thereon. In other words, a laminated imaging/photographic element would include a support web, with imaging/photographic layer(s) coated thereon, and a protective layer either coated or laminated over the imaging/photographic layer(s).
The upper or protective layer of an imaging element may comprise one or more thin sheets of high modulus polymers such as high density polyethylene, polypropylene, or polystyrene; their blends or their copolymers. The upper or protective layer may have a thickness in the range of from about 10 to about 300 xcexcm. The protective layer of the laminated imaging element may also comprise polymeric materials that have been obtained from coating. For example, methods for improving the scratch resistance include adding a certain class of hardener to gelatin; using colloidal silica in the overcoat layer either alone or in combination with a water soluble polymer having a carboxylic acid group; using two overcoat layers, the upper layer containing a colloidal silica and the lower layer containing a polymer latex; and using a composite latex comprising a polymeric acrylic acid ester and/or a polymeric methacrylate acid ester and colloidal silica.
An example of laminated imaging element is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,009 to Bourdelais et al., which discloses a photographic element comprising a paper base, at least one photosensitive silver halide layer, and a layer of microvoided, biaxially oriented polyolefin sheet between the paper base and the silver halide layer. The photographic element in U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,009 has much less tendency to curl when exposed to extremes of humidity. Further, it provides a photographic paper that is much lower in cost as the criticalities of the formation of the polyethylene are removed. There is no need for the difficult and expensive casting and cooling in forming a surface on the polyethylene layer as the biaxially oriented polymer sheet of the invention provides a high quality surface for casting of photosensitive layers. The optical properties of the photographic elements are improved, as the color materials may be concentrated at the surface of the biaxially oriented sheet for most effective use with little waste of the colorant materials. Photographic materials utilizing microvoided sheets have improved resistance to tearing.
The addition of a protective layer made of a tough plastic (such as polyester) places a relatively soft and brittle image-forming layer in between two or more tough layer, causing potential cutting problems. A significant disadvantage in the prior art methods was the inability to cut the web without cutting or damaging one or more of the weaker layers and interfaces therebetween. Another major disadvantage was the inherent difficulty experienced when trying to control the material fall-off, which produces dust from the cut process. Therefore, there is a continuing problem with dirt and debris generated during cutting that will contaminate images during development. This would be especially true for imaging elements that have thick, tough polymer protective layers.